At a meeting earlier this week, the States were given three options on the future of the service:
- Replace it with a new company but keep the same volunteer and subscription model
- Continue to run it through the States of Alderney
- Combine it with the Fire Service
After hearing from some of the island’s medical professionals, States Members voted in favour of the combined service, which will see trained ambulance volunteers work with the Fire Service, sharing policies and procedures.
Pictured: Alderney States Member James Dent.
St John Ambulance, the Island Medical Centre and Mignot Memorial Hospital will support the service while the States will manage and lead it.
“Our Ambulance Service together with the Fire and Rescue Service have recently been at the forefront of strategy planning and have already had to work closely together,” said Chairman of the Policy & Finance Committee, James Dent. “A separate company or charity running a part of the service would find it difficult to provide the rapid responses necessary and they would also be sourcing expertise separately.”
The States agreed that funding the service through tax would be a more efficient way of running it, rather than having to rely on subscriptions.
“It’s evident that those least able to afford the subscription are least likely to subscribe and these are among some of our most vulnerable residents,” Mr Dent told the States meeting.
However, patient transport, where no first aid is needed, will no longer be provided by the combined service, with individuals being asked to use taxis or other volunteer organisations instead.
The combined service is expected to cost around £136,550 per year.
